Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of School–University Partnerships
- The Cambridge Handbook of School–University Partnerships
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I The History and Conceptual Foundations of School–University Partnerships
- Introduction to Part I: The History and Conceptual Foundations of School–University Partnerships
- 1 Origins
- 2 The Legacy of John I. Goodlad (1920–2014)
- 3 More Commonalities Than Differences
- 4 From Holmes to Here
- 5 Theorizing Partnership Work
- 6 The Metaphors We Partner By
- 7 Commentary: Focus versus Locus
- 8 Commentary: From Mission to Metaphors and Questions in Between
- 9 Commentary: Historical Perspectives and Conceptual Foundations of School–University Partnerships
- Part II Teachers and Learning to Teach in School–University Partnerships
- Part III Equity and Student Learning in School–University Partnerships
- Part IV Leadership in School–University Partnerships
- Part V Community Schools as School–University Partnerships
- Part VI Inquiry and Innovation in School–University Partnerships
- Part VII Funding, Policy, and the Politics of School–University Partnerships
- Part VIII Looking at School–University Partnerships across Geographic and Cultural Borders
- Index
- References
5 - Theorizing Partnership Work
Lenses and Opportunities
from Part I - The History and Conceptual Foundations of School–University Partnerships
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2025
Edited in association with
Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of School–University Partnerships
- The Cambridge Handbook of School–University Partnerships
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Part I The History and Conceptual Foundations of School–University Partnerships
- Introduction to Part I: The History and Conceptual Foundations of School–University Partnerships
- 1 Origins
- 2 The Legacy of John I. Goodlad (1920–2014)
- 3 More Commonalities Than Differences
- 4 From Holmes to Here
- 5 Theorizing Partnership Work
- 6 The Metaphors We Partner By
- 7 Commentary: Focus versus Locus
- 8 Commentary: From Mission to Metaphors and Questions in Between
- 9 Commentary: Historical Perspectives and Conceptual Foundations of School–University Partnerships
- Part II Teachers and Learning to Teach in School–University Partnerships
- Part III Equity and Student Learning in School–University Partnerships
- Part IV Leadership in School–University Partnerships
- Part V Community Schools as School–University Partnerships
- Part VI Inquiry and Innovation in School–University Partnerships
- Part VII Funding, Policy, and the Politics of School–University Partnerships
- Part VIII Looking at School–University Partnerships across Geographic and Cultural Borders
- Index
- References
Summary
In this chapter, our goal was to synthesize research from the last ten years on School–University partnerships that utilized theoretical frameworks. We open the chapter by operationalizing the term theoretical framework and distinguishing it from the term conceptual framework. We then describe our search process for the a priori systematic literature review that we conducted including our search terms. We provide a continuum of theory integration (from low to medium to high integration) that we found within the twenty-four articles we reviewed, and we also describe the various theoretical “families” represented in this review including context-specific teacher preparation and place-based learning, critical theories, post-colonial and decolonizing theories, and sociocultural theories. We conclude the chapter with an emphasis on hope for School–University partnerships.
Keywords
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Cambridge Handbook of School–University Partnerships , pp. 81 - 106Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
References
Akkerman, S., & Bakker, A. (2011). Boundary crossing and boundary objects. Review of Educational Research, 81(2), 132–169. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311404435.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Akkerman, S., & Bruining, T. (2016). Multilevel boundary crossing in a professional development school partnership. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 25(2), 240–284. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508406.2016.1147448.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anfara, V. A. (2008). Theoretical frameworks. In Given, L. M. (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. Sage Publications. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909.Google Scholar
Barton, D., & Hamilton, M. (2000). Literacy practices. In Barton, D., Hamilton, M., & Ivanic, R. (Eds.), Situated literacies: Reading and writing in context (pp. 7–15). Routledge.Google Scholar
Beck, J. S. (2016). The complexities of a Third-Space partnership in an urban teacher residency. Teacher Education Quarterly, 43(1), 51–70. https://www.jstor.org/stable/teaceducquar.43.1.51.Google Scholar
Beck, J. S. (2020). “Speak truth to power ourselves”: Teaching social justice in a teacher residency program. Teacher Education Quarterly, 47(3), 75–95.Google Scholar
Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In Richardson, J. (Ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education (pp. 241–258). Greenwood.Google Scholar
Brunton, G., Stansfield, C., Caird, J., & Thomas, J. (2017). Finding relevant studies. In Gough, D., Oliver, S., & Thomas, J. (Eds.), An introduction to systematic reviews (2nd ed.; pp. 93–122). Sage.Google Scholar
Cochran-Smith, M., & Villegas, A. (2015). Framing teacher preparation research: An overview of the field, part 1. Journal of Teacher Education, 66(1), 7–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, Ch. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Damons, B., & Cherrington, A. M. (2020). Reimagining community schools as beacons of hope and possibility in the South African context. Education as Change, 24, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.25159/1947-9417/4699.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Douglas, A. S. (2012). Creating expansive learning opportunities in schools: The role of school leaders in initial teacher education partnerships. European Journal of Teacher Education, 35(1), 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2011.633994.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Edwards, A. (2012). The role of common knowledge in achieving collaboration cross practices. Learning, Culture, and Social Interaction, 1, 22–32.10.1016/j.lcsi.2012.03.003CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eisenhart, M. (2005). Hammers and saws for the improvement of educational research. Educational Theory, 55(3), 245–261.Google Scholar
Elder, B. C. (2019). Using PDS as a tool to create sustainable inclusive education practices: A roadmap for school–university partnerships. School–University Partnerships, 12(1), 22–35.Google Scholar
Elder, B. C. (2020). Necessary first steps: Using professional development schools to increase the number of students with disability labels accessing inclusive classrooms. School–University Partnerships, 13(1), 32–43.Google Scholar
Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by expanding: An activity-theoretical approach to developmental research. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Epstein, J. L. (2010). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools (2nd ed.). Westview Press.Google Scholar
Fornauf, B. S., & Mascio, B. (2021). Extending DisCrit: A case study of universal design for learning and equity in a rural teacher residency. Race, Ethnicity & Education, 24(5), 671–686. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2021.1918409.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Bloomsbury. (Original work published 1970.)Google Scholar
Galindo, C. L, Sonnenschein, S., Sanders, M. G. (2021). A case study of a school–university partnership focused on literacy and educational equity: Responding to COVID-19 in the early grades. School–University Partnerships, 14(3), 17–42.Google Scholar
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
Gee, J. (1996). Social linguistics and literacies: Ideology in discourses (2nd Ed.). Taylor and Francis.Google Scholar
González, N., Moll, L. C., & Amanti, C. (Eds.). (2005). Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.Google Scholar
Green, T. L., & Gooden, M. A. (2014). Transforming out-of-school challenges into opportunities: Community schools reform in the urban Mid-West. Urban Education, 49(80), 930–954. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085914557643.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hackett, J., Williams, R., Davis, C., Cross, S. B., Behizadeh, N., & Hearn, E. (2021). Tensions in designing a Third Space in a justice-oriented teacher residency: Toward an authentic collaborative for clinical practice. Peabody Journal of Education, 96(1), 32–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2020.1864244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hammerness, K., & Craig, E. (2016). “Context-specific” teacher preparation for New York City: An exploration of the content of context in Bard College’s Urban Teacher Residency Program. Urban Education, 51(10), 1226–1258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085915618722.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hanreddy, A. (2019). Reciprocity and professional capital as measures of success in a professional development school. School–University Partnerships, 12(2), 73–81.Google Scholar
Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
Harkavy, I., Hartley, M., Hodges, R. A., & Weeks, J. (2013). The promise of university-assisted community schools to transform American schooling: A report from the field, 1985–2012. Peabody Journal of Education, 88(5), 525–540. www.jstor.org/stable/42001795.10.1080/0161956X.2013.834789CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Herrenkohl, L. R., Napolitan, K., Herrenkohl, T. I., Kazemi, E., Mcauley, L., & Phelps, D. (2019). Navigating fragility and building resilience: A school–university partnership to support the development of a full-service community school. Teachers College Record, 121, 1–40.Google Scholar
Howell, P. B., Laman, T. T., Gnau, A., Bay-Williams, J., Brown, S., & Finch, J. (2021). Exploring teachers’ perspectives across multiple partnership schools: One university’s work to design mutually beneficial partnerships. School–University Partnerships, 14(1), 24–35.Google Scholar
Ikpeze, C. H., Broikou, K. A., Hildenbrand, S., & Gladstone-Brown, W. (2012). PDS collaboration as Third Space: An analysis of the quality of learning experiences in a PDS partnership. Studying Teacher Education, 8(3), 275–288. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17425964.2012.719125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kane, K. M., Quartz, K. H, & Kunisaki, L. T. (2021). Multigenerational art making at a community school: A case study of transformative parent engagement. Harvard Educational Review, 91(4), 511–536.10.17763/1943-5045-91.4.511CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kang, G. & Mayor, A. (2021). For and with the community: Forging a school–university partnership focused on civic engagement. School–University Partnerships, 14(4), 99–115.Google Scholar
Klein, E. J, Taylor, M., Onore, C., Strom, K., & Abrams, L. (2013). Finding a third space in teacher education: Creating an urban teacher residency. Teaching Education, 24(1), 27–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2012.711305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32, 465–491.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ladson-Billings, G. (2009). The Dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. John Wiley.Google Scholar
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press.10.1017/CBO9780511815355CrossRefGoogle Scholar
la Velle, L., Reynolds, D., & Nichol, J. (2013). An unusually effective school/university programme: The Plymouth and Peninsula model. Journal of Education for Teaching, 39(4), 400–415. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2013.788240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liao, C., Devita, J., & Walden, P. (2018). Bridging educational communities to creatively explore social justice topics through film and dance. School–University Partnerships, 11(4), 87–103.Google Scholar
Love, B. L. (2019). We want to do more than survive: Abolitionist teaching and the pursuit of educational freedom. Beacon Press.Google Scholar
Lowery, C. L., Hartman, C., Elasky, B., Cell, A., Hawk, R., Elmore-Clark, K., Kennedy, M. K., & Kroeger, G. (2019). Creating active and reflective educators through CARE: A PDS partnership between Federal Hocking Local Schools and Ohio University. School–University Partnerships, 12(1), 16–21.Google Scholar
Luet, K. M., & Shealey, M. W. (2022). A matter of perspectives: Studying the persistence of fourth-year urban teachers from two preparation programs. Urban Education, 57(7), 1115–1144. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085918802630.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lynch, J., Eilam, E., Fluker, M., & Augur, N. (2017). Community-based environmental monitoring goes to school: Translations, detours and escapes. Environmental Education, Research, 23(5), 708–721. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2016.1182626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maxwell, J. A., & Mittapalli, K. (2008). Theory. In Given, L. M. (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. Sage Publications. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909.Google Scholar
Moll, L. S., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms. Theory Into Practice, 31(2), 132–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849209543534.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Association for Professional Development Schools. (2021). What it means to be a professional development school: The nine essentials (2nd ed.). https://napds.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/What-it-Means-to-be-a-PDS-Second-Edition-2021-Final.pdf.Google Scholar
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffman, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S. … Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. The BMJ, 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ravitch, S. M., & Riggan, M. (2017). Reason and rigor: How conceptual frameworks guide research (2nd ed.). Sage.Google Scholar
Reagan, E. M., Coppens, A. D., Couse, L. J., Hambacher, E., Lord, D., McCurdy, K., & Silva Pimentel, D. (2018). Toward a conceptual framework for designing and implementing the teacher residency for rural education. In Reardon, R. M. & Leonard, J. (Eds.), Innovation and implementation in rural places: School–University-community collaboration in education (pp. 81–106). Information Age Publishing.Google Scholar
Scanlan, M., & Park, H. (2020). The learning of stakeholders in a community school: A narrative history of Gardner Pilot Academy. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 25(2), 146–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/10824669.2019.1708745.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sherry, M. D. (2008). Postcolonialism. In Given, L. M. (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. Sage Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412963909.Google Scholar
Soja, E. W. (1996). Thirdspace: Journeys to Los Angeles and other real-and-imagined places. Blackwell.Google Scholar
Sweetman, S., Shea, K., & Silversmith, J. (2018). Collaboration between formal and informal networks: Partnering educators for place-based learning experiences. School–University Partnerships, 11(4), 104–121.Google Scholar
Taymans, J., Tindle, K., Freund, M., Ortiz, D., & Harris, L. (2012). Opening the black box: Influential elements of an effective urban Professional Development School. Urban Education, 47(1), 224–249. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085911427742.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waitoller, F. R., & Kozleski, E. B. (2013). Understanding and dismantling barriers for partnerships for inclusive education: A cultural historical activity theory perspective. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 9(1), 23–42.Google Scholar
Wallin, D. C., & Scribe, C. (2022). Wāhkōhtowin: Decolonizing teacher preparation for rural, urban and first nations schools. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 32(2), 59–74.10.47381/aijre.v32i2.318CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yosso, T. J. (2005). Whose culture has capital? A critical race theory discussion of community cultural wealth. Race, Ethnicity, and Education, 8, 69–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361332052000341006.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.1 AA
Why this information is here
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.Accessibility Information
The HTML of this chapter
complies with version 2.1 of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG), covering newer accessibility requirements and improved
user experiences and achieves the intermediate
(AA)
level of WCAG compliance, covering a wider range of accessibility requirements.
Content Navigation
Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
Reading Order & Textual Equivalents
Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Visual Accessibility
Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
Structural and Technical Features
ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.